Inexpensive White FW Removal Tool? DIY Tool?

[MitchJi]

Hi,

The cheapest price for the White Freewheel Removal Tool that shows up on Google is $38 with shipping:
http://cgi.ebay.com/White-Industrie...oval-Tool_W0QQitemZ230296692557QQcmdZViewItem

Is there a less expensive tool that will work?

A very simple DIY solution?

A more complicated DIY solution that someone on the forum wants to make and sell for $10 to $20 each?

Is there a market if someone machines something that works for 20 or 30 at something like $15 to $20 each?

 

[deecanio]

damn the ENO needs special tool ????
got us by the short and curlies
i'll have to add it to my list, at this rate i'll be well over $1000 with motor, sheeesh!!!


Cheers,

D

 

[vanilla ice]

IIRC Tyler used some screws in a wood plank as a freewheel removal tool. I think you could get creative with it. I like using the bmx freewheels that have the four big prongs sticking out instead of indention. Those are so easy to pull.

 

[Zoot Katz]

From the linked ad copy:
"Our standard four prong freewheel removal tool mates with most freewheels."
To me that means the White freewheel uses a standard four prong pattern like found on other BMX freewheels.

"Unique to the tool is the larger machined out center allowing the tool to fit over both the eccentric and standard ENO hub axle ends."
" The machined square center is compatible with most socket handle wrenches."

This is where a cheaper tool might prove superior. They have a round hole in the center to clear the axle. That hole is often too small to slide over the larger diameter axles of our hub motors. Our hub motor axles are longer too so the tool wouldn't fit over the end of the axle. If you milled out the square hole on the White Industries tool, there would be no way to loosen the freewheel.

The Park Tools FR-6, or an Asian knockoff, would probably work better.
http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=4&item=FR-6

 

[MitchJi]

Hi,

Exactly the response I was hoping for. It sounds like the Park will work.

Its available online for under $10:
http://www.google.com/products?q=park+FR-6+Freewheel+remover&btnG=Search+Products&hl=en

The Park FR-6 Freewheel Remover fits most 4-notch BMX and singlespeed freewheels. It can be held with a wrench or vise and its narrow profile allows use without removal of cones and locknuts.

If we can confirm that it works with the White its an excellent solution.

Thanks!

Mitch

 

[Zoot Katz]

To my mind, the White Industries freewheel removal tool, with its square-drive center hole, fails out of the gate.
The recommended technique for freewheel removal is to use the axle nut or quick-release skewer to hold the tool into the freewheel's notches. If the tool slips and cams out the notches you're left with an unpleasant task that culminates in the destruction of the freewheel. Or a trashed tool if the freewheel steel is harder.

A freewheel removal tool is generally used while clamped into a vise and the wheel itself provides leverage. That way you can get two people reefing on it if need be. In any case, the removal tool must be firmly seated in the notches before starting to apply the torque needed to loosen a freewheel.

 

[AussieJester]

I couldnt budge my 6 speed freewheel even with the correct removal tool...had to resort to destroying the freewheel with angle grinder toget the bloody thing off :-S Motorz pull these up ALOT tight than a set of human legs it seems LOL

 

[Zoot Katz]

I couldnt budge my 6 speed freewheel even with the correct removal tool...had to resort to destroying the freewheel with angle grinder toget the bloody thing off :-S Motorz pull these up ALOT tight than a set of human legs it seems LOL

I think that with hub motors the freewheel doesn't get as tight as chain drive setups. Probably won't even get as tight as a leg torqued track cog.
For your set-up, I'd think that with a freehub body attached to the axle and using cassette type cogs and spacers you could fine tune the chainline.
Attaching the freehub body to the axle, without destroying it, will be the trick.

 

[boostjuice]

I too didn't want to pay the exorbitant price for a proprietary White removal tool so i got a piece of scrap billet mild steel and a hand file and got to work making my own removal tool without needing to pay a cent. The tool could be made out of a longer section of billet so you can use its leverage like a spanner, or you can just stick the thing in a bench vise like i did and use the wheel for leverage. Easy as!

 

[TylerDurden]

Perfecto. You could get a shop to CNC a couple score of those and you sell em for 15 bucks a pop. Not a windfall, but it could pay for a few pizzas and spare tires.

 

[MitchJi]

Hi,

Its here ($5.95!):
Just got this from Sick Bikes Tech Support:

Mitch,
As far as I know the internals are the same as the ENO FW, at least that is what we were told, I actually have one each so I could take them apart to verify but I am pretty sure they are the same.

The FW removal tool does work with both the standard FW and the White FW.

Edit just to be sure it works with the standard Eno as well as their White FW I checked with Sick Bikes Tech Support:

One more question. Does the tool work with the standard Eno FW's. It sounds like it will but I'd like to be sure.

I haven't check but I can. If you can wait a few hours and will reply when I know for sure.

Then:

I verified that the tool works with the standard White FW.

This is the link for the tool ($5.95):
http://sickbikeparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=64

New White FW:
http://sickbikeparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=62